How To: Meet People In New Cities

Local religious affiliations Don't underestimate the power of meeting people at your local religious center. Even if you were never active in your religious community before, attending services, holiday events or social mixers can be a great way to feel welcome in your new community. And just think: a woman won't feel threatened or on guard if you meet her at church, yet another reason to take your spirituality to new heights.

Continuing education Even if you've sworn to never pick up another textbook, the luxury of free nights is a great way to expand your repertoire by taking classes at your local college, university, or specialized school, and studying a subject you've always been interested in, while meeting people in the process.

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Here's where the fun starts. You have been given the opportunity to leave your past behind and turn over a new leaf. Now's the time to meet those people you're going to impress.

The gym Offer to spot a guy lifting weights, buddy up with someone who seems to share your exercise program and train together, and make friendly conversation with the woman on the treadmill beside yours. While some women may not feel up for talking, there are bound to be guys who are looking for someone to motivate them at the gym (or with whom to watch the all-woman aerobics class).

Hobbies and extra-curricular activities If you've always wanted to take Tae Kwon-Do, swing dancing, boxing, or cooking, there's no better time than now. Here's your chance to meet people with similar interests, and if it's women you're looking to meet, then cooking classes or dancing lessons are probably the best solutions.

Sports teams Scope out the parks in your area for sports teams, and sign up to play. Whether football, ultimate Frisbee, baseball, or soccer is your thing, there's nothing like some competition to spark a friendship (or cause some wars). If you can't find an organized team near you, shoot some hoops with people at the basketball courts.

Sports bars After the game, go to a sports bar and root for your favorite team with other loyal fans. If you don't see yourself going to an actual nightclub on your own, a sports bar is a great alternative — you don't have to worry about approaching women, and chugging beers and shooting the breeze with other sports fans is a great way to make new buddies to watch the Super Bowl with. And don't restrict yourself to patrons; chat it up with the staff, who are sure to remember you if you become a regular.

NightclubsGoing to a nightclub solo is not as intimidating as it seems. Granted, it's hard to actually meet people at loud, crowded clubs, but if you're bored on a Saturday night and feel like people watching, listening to some great music and drinking some gin and tonic, don't let a lack of a nightclub partner stop you from having a good time. Besides the fact that no one will even know you're alone (how many times do you see other guys standing at the bar alone?), you're new in town, which is the ultimate excuse.

Put on your coolest nightclub threads, and head to a popular nighttime spot. Hang out by the bar, chat with the barmaids (try to become a regular and gain their trust, so that they can introduce you to their friends and other staff members), and enjoy the eye candy. Don't put so much pressure on yourself to actually approach women — just go with the alcohol flow. And if you're having a bad time, no one's stopping you from leaving.

Personals This may not have been your bag before now, but personals — whether in the newspaper or online — are an easy way to meet women in your area. Who knows; even if the woman you go out with is not your type, you might hit it off on a platonic level.

The trick to meeting people in a new city is maintaining an open mind about everyone . Never write someone off for trivial reasons, because that person can always introduce you to other potential pals, which gradually leads to a whole network of friends.

As well, maximize your efforts of approaching people as soon as possible, because you can always use "Can you direct me to [fill in blank], I'm new in town" as an excuse to talk to strangers. Wait six months to approach people, and you're no longer the new guy, but rather the dude who got bored of staying home alone and finally decided to make his move. Stick to the "new guy approach" — he's always more intriguing.